This invention relates generally to the fluid handling art and more particularly to a novel commandable liquid dispensing method and system.
As will become evident from the ensuing description, the present liquid dispensing invention is susceptible of a wide range of uses. The currently contemplated use, however, involves lubricating bearings, particularly ball bearings. For this reason, the invention will be described in the context of bearing lubrication but is not intended to be limited to this particular application.
Oil lubricated roller bearings, such as ball bearings, are key elements in a wide variety of rotary systems. Maintenance of a thin, clean, and uniform lubricant film at and near the bearing roller-to-race contact zones and roller-to-retainer pocket interfaces is essential to proper bearing performance in these systems. In some applications, lubricant for this purpose can be provided by passive lubrication. In other applications, it is desirable or necessary to have a commandable oiler to replenish the lubricant when necessary. Positive control of the lubricant quantity can provide a safeguard against premature depletion and thus avoid bearing degradation or failure. A basic design constraint of such an active oiling system is to deliver all of the lubricant in a small metered charge uniformly to the rollers and to the contact zones of the rollers with both the inner and outer races. In most bearings, these regions are not easily accessed. Preferably, the lubrication should be done slowly by a device which is compatible with unmodified bearings and does not introduce contamination.
A vast assortment of roller bearing lubricating systems or oilers have been devised. In a recently reported roller bearing oiler, for example, the lubricant charge is ejected onto one bearing raceway by a single stroke pump immersed in a vented oil reservoir. These existing oilers, however, have numerous disadvantages which need not be discussed here. Suffice it to say a definite need exists for an improved roller bearing oiler.